Day 1 in Davos

Welcome to Davos, nestled in the Swiss Alps! Upon arrival, make your transfer to your destination, arrive at your hotel, check in and do not give in to jet lag! There is so much for you to see and do.

Davos offers some of the best skiing and snowboarding nature has to offer, as well as plenty of scenic activities during the warmer months. Your itinerary in this municipality will depend on the time of year you visit.

In the center of Davos, visitors will find a wide range of excellent shopping, with numerous boutiques, cafés and restaurants. We recommend you start your afternoon here to enjoy the town, have a leisurely lunch at one of the charming cafes take in the ambiance.

During the off season, generally the Spring and Fall months, the center of Davos is home to a lively market. Traders with stalls peddling everything from clothing to artwork to produce can be found here. Make sure to browse the markets if you`re looking for a bargain in a colorful atmosphere. For an authentic Swiss snack, you`re sure to find fresh Magenbrot (local spice bread) and Bratwusrt (Swiss sausage) at numerous stands.

If you enjoy art, make sure to stop in the Kirchner Museum to check out the world`s largest collection of works by the German Expressionist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880 – 1938), housed in an innovative modern museum building. This museum was established in honor of Kirchner who spent the last 20 years of his life in Davos. The museum boasts more than 1,400 Kirchner paintings that cover both his early Expressionists days in Berlin, Munich and Dresden and his later Swiss years.

Finish your afternoon with a ride to the top of the Parsenn Funicular. The mountain restaurant at the top, Bergrestaurant Weissfluhjoch, welcomes you at 8,736 with breathtaking views of the picturesque mountain panorama. You`ll find seating available both indoors and outdoors. This is a great way to finish off the day while enjoying some home-style Swiss cuisine.

Day 2 in Davos

If you are visiting in the summer months, grab a bike and hit the trails in and around Davos` Klosters. Whether you`re an experienced expert or a leisure biker, Davos offers many biking options for fun loving families and the more adventurous rider. The path that extends from Gotschnaboden to Klosters is free to the public and offers a great ride of intermediate difficulty, where you`ll be challenged but not overwhelmed, while the 6 vertical mile free-ride tour is an extreme thrill, normally requiring five cables cars to reach the top. There are also plenty of easygoing options for families in the lower valleys.

Another beautiful way to spend time in nature is to enjoy a Nordic walk. At the foot of Jakobschornbahnen mountain, there are trails of two, five, and eight miles long, especially designated for Nordic walking. If you`re not familiar with Nordic walking, it is a low-impact sport, slightly more challenging than walking, so it`s perfect for those who want to challenge themselves, but aren`t up for extreme hiking. The trails are generally level, making it a perfect outing for the entire family.

It`s no mystery that Davos is one of Switzerland`s top winter sport destinations, so if you are here in the winter months, you`ll want to spend a day (or two) hitting the slopes. The village features more than 200 miles of downhill ski trails, reached via the Parsenn Red Railway, which started shuttling up and down the mountain in the 1930s. Parsenn has long winding trails where beginner and intermediate skiers can fine-tune their technique; while more advanced skiers can search for fresh powder off the trails. If snowboarding is your thing, Jakobshorn is the mountain for you as it has a snowpark and a `monster pipe` for big air.

Spend the evening at BierVision Monstein, home of the highest brewery in Europe. You can get here by taking a 15-minute bus ride or drive up the winding mountain road southwest of Davos. BierVision is open for tours on Fridays, where you can get an education of the brewing process, and see the brewing vats and fermentation up close. This is preceded by a guided walk around the village, where you`ll meet a couple of locals and get to know the way of life up here. BierVision produces five beer varieties, from dark beer to Weissbier, which you can taste in the cozy Gambrinus Bar in the basement.

Day 3 in Davos

We recommend spending your last day in Davos enjoying more of the beautiful nature this area. Davos offers a multitude of beautifully woodsy hiking and walking trails for all interests and fitness levels. There are plenty of rugged trails that offer several hours of intense hiking, as well as easier walks suitable for the whole family. You may want to try a themed path, which is punctuated by discrete information boars that combine adventure and education. The Sculpture Path, for example, extends from Davos Fraunekirch to Stafelalp and is studded with striking stone installations and trees carvings by local Swiss artists.

Another lovely way to spend a day is to take the Schatz-Funicular up the mountains to explore the Alpine Botanical Gardens. Not only are there wonderful views and hikes from this from, but the gardens are also home to a fascinating variety of flora and fauna, and even a gorgeous waterfall. The hikes around the garden are not demanding, making the Botanical Gardens the perfect outing for groups of all ages.

Now, if you are here in the winter months, you may want to take advantage of some other winter activities. Cross-country skiing is a great way to get out in nature and enjoy the amazing views Davos has to offer. Davos hosts a stage of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup every year at the Flüela Valley. What`s great is when this route isn`t being used by the world`s best distance skiers, you can ride it for yourself, free of charge. It`s one of more than 60 miles of cross-country tracks, all meticulously prepared and carefully mapped out for you to chart your journey.

Less exhausting are the long tobogganing course that you can travel at high speed on Rinerhorn and Schatzal. And back in the center of the village, the Davos World of Ice is an outdoor skating rink like no other, consisting of interconnected ramps and rinks. If you want to stop for a break, there are market stalls pouring warm cups of mulled wine and hot chocolate.

For your last evening in Davos, take advantage of the lively nightlife the town has to offer. No matter what time of year, you`ll find something fun from dancing, clubbing, ultra chic bars, numerous delicious restaurants, and possible celebrity sightings.

Additional Days in Davos

Should you be able to spend additional days in Davos there are so many more activities to enjoy. You may want to take a train ride through the Swiss Alps. Davos is a terminus for two of the most famous railway lines in the world: The Glacier Express and Bernina Express. The first is known as the `Slowest Fast Train in the World`, and crosses the Swiss Alps from Graubünden to Valais, to admire legendary peaks like the Matterhorn.

The Bernina Express is another sightseeing line, weaving its way through the Bernina Range down to Tirano in Italy. There’s an audioguide on board, enlighten riders the natural wonders as you pass them and panoramic carriages providing breathtaking views.

Another enjoyable adventure would be a day trip to Chur, located about 90 minutes from Davos by car or bus. Chur is the capital of the canton of Graubunden. This beautiful Swiss village, set in the foothills of the Alps, has much to offer in terms of restaurants, museums, and cultural history. Expect to see happy goats wearing shiny brass bells roaming in nearby fields, alpine flowers, and magnificent mountain views and immaculate cobblestone streets.

Your Last Day in Davos

Depart your hotel for the train station where you will head home or make your way to more Switzerland adventures. Savor the memories of a very special time in Davos.